Pothead for electrical circuit connecters



Jan.' 6,1926. 1 1,571,172

P. F. WILLIAMS POTHEAD FOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONNECTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed August 5, 1918 @fMd 7% Jan. 26 1926. I 1 1,571,172

P. F. WILLIAMS POTHEAD FOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONNECTERS Filed August 5,1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,571,172 PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL F. WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TC G & W ELECTRICSPECIALTY 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

\ PO'IHEA D FOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONN ECTEBS.

\ Application filed August 5, 1918. Serial No. 248,305.

citizen of the United States, residing at' Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Potheads for Electrical Circuit Connecters; of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to pot heads for electrical circuit connectors.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple andpractical pot head construction. V

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction by whichthe pot head may be interchangeably mounted either upon a pole or across arm of a pole or upon a pipe or other upright tubular member. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and practicalconstruction by which the pot head body and cover may be advantageouslyattached to one another and the electrical connection satisfactorilymade.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pot headembodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; K

Figs. 3 and 1 are transverse sections taken on lines 3-3 and 1- 1 inFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the pot head structure mounted upon across piece of a pole or similar device;

Fig-6 is a cross section taken on line 66 in Fig. 5.

In the-accompanying drawings ll show a pot head structure consisting ofa base member 1 and a top or cover member 2. The base member 1 isprovided with a metallic socket 3 which is connected with a cable 4;which extends down through the lower end of said body member 1, saidcable being broken away below the terminal 3 and its lower portion beingomitted from the drawing for convenience of illustration. The

1 top 2 is provided with a plug member 5 which is inserted into thesocket member 3 so as to makeproper electrical connection between saidmembers '3 and 5 which thus form the cooperating contacts of the device.The plug member 5 is screw threaded upon the lower end of a screw 6having a flange or head 7 fitting in a cavity or recess 8 -in said topmember 2. A. terminal 9 is secured to the upper end of the screw .6 andreceives the metal wire of an overhead conductor 10. This constructionwith the threaded member 6. fitted to the tubular plug member 5 allowsthe contact 5 to be secured detachably to the cap 2.

The member 3 is provided with an enlargement 11 which is exteriorlyscrew threaded as at 12 and fits into the threaded socket of a metalplate 13, which in turn 1s secured as by screws 14. to aecollarortubular member 15. Screws 16 pass through the plate 13 in a diagonalmanner and engage the enlargement 11, thereby in eflect lockmg themember 3 in position. The plate 13 covers the top of the body member 1and thereby in effect closes it to keep out water, dirt, etc. Thisplate, as stated, is held 1n position by screws 14, of which there areseveral, preferably "three, as shown in Fig. 3. The collar member 15 ispreferably of metaland is firmly embedded and cemented in position inthe top of the member 1, so as to form a firm support and holdlng meansfor the plate 18. The socket member 3 is in turn firmly held in positionby means of the screws 16,- of which there are also preferably three.The plug member 5 may thus be inserted into the contact socket 3 bymerely placing the cap or cover 2 in position over the body part 1, afirm and secure contact thus being provided.

A .t the base of the member 1, I provide an improved coupling ormounting arrangement. This involves a metal collar or tubular member 17which is firmly secured to the lower end of said member 1, as by cement18 and 19. The lower end of this collar 17 is interiorly screw threadedas at 20 and a plug member or fitting 21 is screw threaded into thelower end 22- of said member 17. The fitting 21 substantially closes thelower end of the body member 1 and so with the top closure comprisingthe plate 13 and as sociated parts, efiectively seals the contents ofsaid body member 1, said body member 1 usually being provided withinsulating compound which is distributed through said member and aroundthe contacts and conductors therein. The fitting 21 is, however,provided with an aperture 23 through which I a collar 25 which fitsagainst the lower edge of the bottom 22 of the member 17. A conduitmember 26 is screw threaded into the interior of the member 25. Thisconduit member 26 is for the purpose of engaging and resting upon a pipeor other tubular member 27 by which the pot head device is to besupported.

A device for engaging and supporting the flared end of the lead sheathof the cable is also provided, the same consisting of a fiat collar 28threaded into a threaded socket 29 in the member 21 and an annularmember 30 supported on the collar 28 by means of uprights 31 and a loosemember 32 held to the member 30 by means of the screws 33. Certain broadfeatures of this arrangement are disclosed and claimed in my Patent No.1,225,300, issued May 8, 1917, for connecting device for electricalconductors. A loose gland member 34 is also provided within the member21 to fit over the outer surface of the cable sheath. Packing 34: isused in connection with this gland to make the connection with the cablewater tight. Thus the arrangement is assembled by first mounting theconduit member 26 on the conduit or pipe 27. The cable is then extendedup through the conduit and passed through the aperture 23 in the member21. The member 28 is threaded into the member 21 and the cable sheath isflared and secured in position between the members 30 and 32. The collar25 is then put in position and then the body member 1 is placed inposition and screwed down so as to engage the member 21 and fit firmlyupon the top of the same, thus placing the pot head 1 in properposition. The end of the cable is then connected with the contact 3 andif desired, as is usually the case, insulating compound is poured intothe interior of the member 1. The contact 3 is then secured in positionby means of the plate 13 and screws 16. Thereupon the cap 2 is put inposition, the overhead wire 10 having been first previously connectedwith the member 9, by which it is connected electrically with the plugmem- The above described construction of the cable engaging means may bemodified 1n order to permit the device to be mounted upon a cross arm orother support by means of a bracket, instead of being mounted upon apipe. This modified arrangement is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In thisarrangement the members 25 and 26 are dispensed with and the member 21is screwed into the part 22 so that the flanges 24* come against thelower surface of the part 22. The device is then mounted upon a bracketsuch as the bracket 36 and is held in position by means of bolts 37passing upwardly through said bracket and also passing into threadedsockets 38 on the member 17 Thus the pothead may be held firmly inposition and the cable passed through the member 21 and sealed thereby,and the other advantages previously outlined may be obtained. Thebracket 36 is preferably provided with vertical supporting portions 39which may be screwed against a cross arm 10 or other supporting memberby means of bolts 41, the bracket being preferably first placed in'position and then the pot head mounted upon it.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Vvhat I claim is:

'1. In a pothead, a body member having a longitudinal bore and a ringmember 15 permanently fitted in the bore of said body member, a platemember 13 fitted on top of and covering the ring member 15, a screw 14passing downward through the plate member 13 and into the ring member 15to hold said plate member in position, and a terminal member passingthrough the plate 13, said terminal member comprising an externallythreaded socket provided with a smooth bore and having a threadedconnection with the plate member 13, and adapted to slidably receive asecond terminal member in the smooth bore. I

2. In a pothead structure, the combination with a supporting upright, ofa hollow body portion and means for enclosing a supporting uprightcomprising an upright engaging device, a collar with which said devicehas threaded connection, means for detachably securing said collar tothe body portion, and means supported by said detachable means and lyingabove said upright engaging device within the body for engaging aconductor entering at the bottom of said body.

3. In a pot headstructure, the combination with a supporting upright ofa hollow body portion and means for enclosing said supporting uprightcomprising an upright engaglng device, a collar with which said devicehas threaded connection, and means for detachably securing said collarto the body portion, said securing means compris ing a collar having aflanged portion which extends into and has screw threaded connectionwith the lower portion of the body member.

4. In a pot head, the combination with the body member of a fitting 21having a flange fitting inside and having screw threaded engagement withthe lower end of the body member, a collar 25 having one end clampedbetween the body and fitting and held in p0 sition by the fitting 21 anda bracket support 26 surrounding said fitting 21 and having a threadedconnection with the inside of the collar 25.

5.*In a pothead, the combination with a body member having a-chamber,and a cap for said body member, of a separable connectei: for the bodymember and cap com prising a plate covering and completely closing theupper end of the chamber, said plate being detachably mounted in saidend, a

hollow terminal member opening upward and disposed through said plateand in de tachable threaded engagement therewith, and a' terminal memberon the cap receivable slidably in said hollow terminal member.

6. In a pot head, the combination with a body member of a metallicfitting 17 secured to the lower portion of the body inember and havingan end portion 22 interiorly screw threaded, a fitting 21 having anupwardly extending flange provided with screwthreads adapted to engagethe threads on the part 22, said fitting 21 also having an annularlyprojecting portion 24, extending laterally and adapted to fit againstthe bottom edge of the member 22, a collar 25 having a flange adapted tofit between the projecting rim 24 and said bottom 22 and a member 26having a threaded upper end fitted within the collar 25, which isinternally threaded to receive it. I

7. In a pot head, the combination with a body member of a metallicfitting 17 secured to the lower portion of the body member and having anend portion 22 interiorly screw threaded, a fitting 21 having anupwardly extending flange provided with screw threads adapted to engagethe threads on the part 22, said fitting 21 also having an annularlyprojecting portion 24, extending laterally and adapted to fit againstthe bottom edge ofthe member 22, a collar 25 having a flange adapted tofit between the projecting rim 24 and said bottom 22, and a bracket 26having its upper end provided with screw threads to fit into the collar25.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of June,A. D. 1918.

PAUL F. WILLIAMS.

